1. Technical Field
This invention relates to protective guards and, more particularly, to a sprinkler head protective guard for preventing a lawn mower and the like from damaging an in-ground sprinkler head.
2. Prior Art
There are many applications for pop-up sprinklers wherein the sprinkler is contained within a casing buried in the ground and which pops up to a position above the casing during operation. Typically, the sprinkler casing is buried in the ground so that its top surface is substantially flush with the ground level, and the sprinkler is spring-biased to the inoperative position retracted inside the casing. A cover is typically attached to the sprinkler and overlies the top of the casing when the sprinkler is in the inoperative position. During irrigation, water is supplied to the sprinkler through the bottom of the casing and the sprinkler extends to the operative position by popping up out of the casing to a position above the ground, the sprinkler carrying the cover with it during its movement to the extended, operative position.
Pop-up sprinklers of the general type herein involved are widely used in connection with lawns, golf courses, parks, and other installations where it is undesirable to have a permanently-mounted sprinkler projecting above the ground when not in use. One problem that has long been encountered in the use of such pop-up sprinklers is that of dirt, sand, weeds, grass, and other deleterious particulate matter entering the open top of the sprinkler casing during sprinkler operation and which can cause the sprinkler to jam such that it either does not pop up all the way to the operative position, or does not fully retract into the casing after use. This problem has been particularly noticeable where pop-up sprinklers are used in sandy and gravel-concentrated soils. Another problem associated with pop-up sprinklers is that sometimes they do not retract all the way into their housing, and then become vulnerable to being damaged as a lawn mower or other cutting device passes over the location of the sprinkler head.
Accordingly, a need remains for a sprinkler head protective guard in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a sprinkler guard that is convenient to use, easy to install, durable in design, facilitates sprinkler head function, and improves the appearance of one's landscape. The fact that the sprinkler head remains unobstructed advantageously ensures that the waster is effectively and efficiently dispensed. The sprinkler guard also prevents a sprinkler head from being impacted by an object such as a person's foot or a lawnmower blade.